Lightweight IoT Dashboard for Device Management

📖 Overview

This project is a scalable and lightweight IoT dashboard designed for customers to easily view and manage their devices and associated data. The dashboard displays devices as cards with their name, timestamp, status, and the latest sensor reading. When a card is clicked, it opens a detailed view with all sensor readings displayed in a graphical interface. Additionally, the dashboard includes an extra function: a weather forecaster from SMHI, currently set to Stockholm.

🚀 Features

• Device Management: View and manage IoT devices.
• Device Addition and Deletion: Add and remove devices as needed for dynamic management.
• Data Visualization: Display device data such as temperature, humidity, and more in a clean, intuitive interface.
• Multi-Sensor Support: Seamlessly manage devices equipped with multiple sensors, enabling comprehensive monitoring and data visualization.
• Authentication: Secure login and device association using Cognito.
• Scalability: Built entirely on AWS services with a focus on scalability, safety, and cost-effective maintenance.

🛠️ Technologies Used

AWS Services:

• IoT Core: Manages communication and data routing for connected IoT devices.
• Amplify: Simplifies the development workflow for seamless frontend and AppSync backend integration.
• AppSync: Provides GraphQL APIs for secure and scalable communication between the frontend and backend.
• Lambda: Executes backend logic for data processing and device management.
• DynamoDB: NoSQL database for storing device data and user associations.
• Cognito: Manages secure user authentication and authorization.
• IAM: Enforces security policies for AWS services.

Frontend:

• Flutter: Cross-platform framework for creating a lightweight and responsive user interface.

📂 Project Structure

• Frontend: Built with Flutter, integrated with Amplify and AppSync for seamless communication with the AWS backend.
• Backend: Serverless architecture using AppSync, Lambda and DynamoDB to handle device data and user management.
• Authentication: Cognito ensures secure and scalable user sign-in and sign-up flows.

🎯 Key Goals

1. Cost Efficiency: Minimize costs while leveraging AWS's scalable and robust infrastructure.
2. Lightweight Design: Ensure the application is easy to deploy and use without unnecessary complexity.
3. Scalability: Support a growing number of devices and users without impacting performance and cost.

📈 Future Enhancements

• Device Card View Options: Enable users to switch the device card view between cards and a list view for better flexibility.
• Graph Customization: Allow users to select different graph types in the device detail view, tailored to their specific sensor data.
• Notifications: Add push notifications for device status updates or critical events (e.g., live message board).
• Mobile App: Provide an application for automatic device setup using Bluetooth and portable data surveillance.
• Cold Storage: Implement automatic cold storage intervals to optimize database performance and reduce costs.

🚀 Getting Started

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd <project-folder>

2. Deploy the App in Amplify: Follow the Amplify documentation to deploy the app.

3. Add Secrets in Amplify/Secrets: Add the following secrets:

   • AWS_BASE_ARN
   • DEVICE_TABLE_NAME
   • IOT_CORE_ENDPOINT

   Where to Find Them:

   • AWS_BASE_ARN: Available in your AWS account under resource information.
   • DEVICE_TABLE_NAME: Available in DynamoDB -> Tables.
   • IOT_CORE_ENDPOINT: Found in the AWS IoT Core settings.

4. Setup Message Route Rule in IoT Core: Configure a rule in IoT Core with the following SQL and point it towards the dynamoDB table:

   SELECT *, 
   clientid() AS device_id, 
   floor(timestamp() / 1000) AS timestamp, 
   floor(timestamp() / 1000) AS createdAt, 
   floor(timestamp() / 1000) AS updatedAt FROM '+/telemetry'

   Optionally:

   • Enable the Error Action to receive error messages from dynamoDB to your device.

5. Adjust variables for policy ARNs:

   In the project folder, navigate to amplify/data/resource.ts and update the variables to match your account information and DynamoDB table details.

const ACCOUNT_ID = '<your account ID>';
const TABLE_NAME = '<your dynamoDB table name>';
const REGION = '<your region> ';

7. Redeploy the App in Amplify:

   After configuring the secrets, message route rule and policy ARNs, redeploy the app in Amplify to apply changes.

🔗 Device Code

Your device needs to follow certain rules when it comes to topics, device shadow and message structure for the device to function with aws IoT core. Please follow the link below for more information.

Iot Core Device Example

📝 Final Thoughts

For the love of all that is sacred, avoid using the Flutter-Amplify combination until the developers have implemented all features and ensured the documentation is up to date. This will save you countless hours (or even days) of troubleshooting, frustration, and confusion.

I'll give this combo a 2 out of 5 🍞—only because it’s been informative!